Correlation between Peptacetobacter hiranonis, the baiCD Gene, and Secondary Bile Acids in Dogs.

Bile acid metabolism is a key pathway modulated by intestinal microbiota. Peptacetobacter (Clostridium) hiranonis has been described as the main species responsible for the conversion of primary into secondary fecal unconjugated bile acids (fUBA) in dogs. This multi-step biochemical pathway is encoded by the bile acid-inducible (bai) operon. We aimed to assess the correlation between P. hiranonis abundance, the abundance of one specific gene of the bai operon (baiCD), and secondary fUBA concentrations. In this retrospective study, 133 fecal samples were analyzed from 24 dogs. The abundances of P. hiranonis and baiCD were determined using qPCR. The concentration of fUBA was measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The baiCD abundance exhibited a strong positive correlation with secondary fUBA (ρ = 0.7377, 95% CI (0.6461, 0.8084), p < 0.0001). Similarly, there was a strong correlation between P. hiranonis and secondary fUBA (ρ = 0.6658, 95% CI (0.5555, 0.7532), p < 0.0001). Animals displaying conversion of fUBA and lacking P. hiranonis were not observed. These results suggest P. hiranonis is the main converter of primary to secondary bile acids in dogs.

Gestión de riesgo para la prescripción de terapias biológicas / Risk management for prescribing biological therapies

(AU) El concepto de «riesgo en salud¼ es relativamente nuevo, surge en el lenguaje epidemiológico británico en los inicios del siglo xx y es definido por la OMS como la probabilidad de un resultado sanitario adverso, o la presencia de un factor que aumenta esa probabilidad. La gestión del riesgo se define, a su vez, como el proceso de identificar, analizar y cuantificar las probabilidades de pérdidas y efectos secundarios que se desprenden de los actos en salud, así como de las acciones preventivas, correctivas y reductivas correspondientes que deben emprenderse. La gestión del riesgo es un proceso gerencial estructurado que tiene por objetivo identificar los principales riesgos en salud de la población o del individuo. Los riesgos identificados son intervenidos mediante estrategias coordinadas que buscan disminuir su ocurrencia

[Peripheral corneal melting syndrome in psoriatic arthritis treated with adalimumab]. / Síndrome da ceratomalácia (Corneal Melting) periférica na artrite psoriásica tratada com adalimumabe.

Peripheral corneal melting syndrome is a rare immune condition characterized by marginal corneal thinning and sometimes perforation. It is associated with rheumatic and non-rheumatic diseases. Few cases of peripheral corneal melting have been reported in patients with psoriasis. The pathogenesis is not fully understood but metalloproteinases may play a pathogenic role. Anti-TNF therapy has shown to decrease skin and serum metalloproteinases levels in psoriasis. We report a 61-year-old man with peripheral corneal melting syndrome associated with psoriatic arthritis who received Adalimumab to control skin and ocular inflammation. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of peripheral corneal melting syndrome in psoriatic arthritis treated with Adalimumab showing resolution of skin lesions and complete healing of corneal perforation in three months.

Síndrome da ceratomalácia (Corneal Melting) periférica na artrite psoriásica tratada com adalimumabe / Peripheral corneal melting syndrome in psoriatic arthritis treated with adalimumab

RESUMOA síndrome do corneal melting periférica é uma rara condição imune caracterizada por afinamento da margem da córnea e, às vezes, perfuração. Está associada a doenças reumáticas e não reumáticas. Poucos casos de síndrome do corneal melting periférica foram relatados em pacientes com psoríase. A patogênese não foi completamente entendida, mas as metaloproteinases podem ter papel patogênico. A terapia Anti-TNF diminuiu os níveis de metaloproteinases na pele e no sangue em psoríase. Reportamos o caso de um homem de 61 anos com síndrome do corneal melting periférica associada à artrite psoriásica que recebeu adalimumabe para controlar a inflamação na pele e no olho. Pelo que sabemos, este é o primeiro caso de síndrome do corneal melting periférica em artrite psoriática tratado com adalimumabe mostrando evolução nas lesões cutâneas e cura total da perfuração da córnea em três meses.

ABSTRACTPeripheral corneal melting syndrome is a rare immune condition characterized by marginal corneal thinning and sometimes perforation. It is associated with rheumatic and non-rheumatic diseases. Few cases of peripheral corneal melting have been reported in patients with psoriasis. The pathogenesis is not fully understood but metalloproteinases may play a pathogenic role. Anti-TNF therapy has shown to decrease skin and serum metalloproteinases levels in psoriasis. We report a 61-year-old man with peripheral corneal melting syndrome associated with psoriatic arthritis who received adalimumab to control skin and ocular inflammation. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of peripheral corneal melting syndrome in psoriatic arthritis treated with adalimumab showing resolution of skin lesions and complete healing of corneal perforation in three months.

The presence of sboA and spaS genes and antimicrobial peptides subtilosin A and subtilin among Bacillus strains of the Amazon basin.

This report demonstrates the usefulness of PCR for the genes spaS and sboA as a means of identifying Bacillus strains with a potential to produce subtilin and subtilosin A. One collection strain and five Bacillus spp. isolated from aquatic environments in the Amazon basin were screened by PCR using primers for sboA and spaS designed specifically for this study. The sequences of the PCR products showed elevated homology with previously described spaS and sboA genes. Antimicrobial peptides were isolated from culture supernatants and analyzed by mass spectrometry. For all samples, the mass spectra revealed clusters with peaks at m/z 3300-3500 Da, corresponding to subtilosin A, subtilin and isoforms of these peptides. These results suggest that the antimicrobial activity of these strains may be associated with the production of subtilosin A and/or subtilin. The PCR used here was efficient in identifying novel Bacillus strains with the essential genes for producing subtilosin A and subtilin.

Manifestaciones cutáneas de la dermatomiositis / Cutaneous manifestations of dermatomyositis

La dermatomiositis es una enfermedad que hace parte de las miopatías inflamatorias, cuyo hallazgo distintivo es la afectación cutánea. En la mayoría de los casos el compromiso cutáneo precede a la afección muscular; por lo tanto, es de vital importancia para el dermatólogo el reconocimiento de la manifestaciones cutáneas en dermatomiositis, con el fin de hacer un diagnóstico oportuno de la enfermedad y emprender un tratamiento efectivo para evitar complicaciones futuras.

Isolation and characterization of antifungal peptides produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens LBM5006.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens LBM 5006 produces antagonistic activity against pathogenic bacteria and phytopathogenic fungi, including Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp., and Bipolaris sorokiniana. PCR analysis revealed the presence of ituD, but not sfp genes, coding for iturin and surfactin, respectively. The antimicrobial substance produced by this strain was isolated by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration chromatography and 1-butanol extraction. The ultraviolet spectrum was typical of a polypeptide and the infrared spectrum indicates the presence of peptide bonds and acyl group(s). The antimicrobial substance was resistant to proteolytic enzymes and heat treatment, and was reactive with ninhydrin. Mass spectroscopy analysis indicated that B. amyloliquefaciens LBM 5006 produces two antimicrobial peptides, with main peaks at m/z 1,058 Da and 1,464 Da, corresponding to iturin-like and fengycin-like peptides, respectively. B. amyloliquefaciens LBM 5006 showed significant activity against phytopatogenic fungi, showing potential for use as a biocontrol agent or production of antifungal preparations.

Genotoxicity of aminohydroxynaphthoquinones in bacteria, yeast, and Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells.

There are few studies on the biological activity of aminohydroxy derivates of 1,4-naphthoquinone (1,4-NQ) on prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. We determined the mutagenic activity of 5-amino-8-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (ANQ) and 5-amino-2,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (ANQ-OH) as compared to the unsubstituted 1,4-NQ in Salmonella/microsome assay. Potential mutagenic and recombinogenic effects and cytotoxicity were analyzed in haploid and diploid cultures of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In Salmonella/microsome assay, 1,4-NQ was not mutagenic, whereas aminohydroxynaphthoquinones were weakly mutagenic in TA98 and TA102 strains. In haploid yeast in stationary growth phase (STAT), mutagenic response was only observed for the hom3 locus at the highest dose. In diploid yeast, aminohydroxynaphthoquinones did not induce any recombinogenic events, but 1,4-NQ was shown to be a recombinogenic agent. These results suggest that aminohydroxynaphthoquinones are weak mutagenic agents only in prokaryotic cells. The cytotoxicity of 1,4-NQ in yeast stationary cells was more significant in diploid cells as compared to that observed in haploid cells. However, ANQ and ANQOH were slightly cytotoxic in all treatments. Genotoxicity of these naphthoquinone compounds was also determined in V79 Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells using standard Comet, as well as modified Comet assay with the bacterial enzymes formamidopyrimidine DNA-glycosylase (FPG) and endonuclease III (ENDOIII). Both 1,4-NQ and ANQ induced pronounced DNA damage in the standard Comet assay. The genotoxic effect of ANQ-OH was observed only at the highest dose. In presence of metabolic activation all substances showed genotoxic effects on V79 cells. Post-treatment of V79 cells with ENDOIII and FPG proteins did not have a significant effect on ANQ-OH-induced oxidative DNA damage as compared to standard alkaline Comet assay. However, all naphthoquinones were genotoxic in V79 cells in the presence of metabolic activation and post-treatment with enzymes, indicating that all compounds induced oxidative DNA damage in V79 cells. Our data suggest that aminohydroxynaphthoquinone pro-oxidant activity, together with their capability of DNA intercalation, have an important role in mutagenic and genotoxic activities.

Utilidad de la inmunoglobulina endovenosa en la miopatía inflamatoria idiopática / Use of intravenous immunoglobulin in idiopathic inflammatory myopaty. Reporte de cinco casos

Se reportan cinco casos de miopatías inflamatorias idiopáticas con presentaciones clínicas heterogéneas en el contexto de patologías autoinmunes distintas. Estos casos ilustran la complejidad en la presentación y la historia natural de la enfermedad muscular inflamatoria, mostrando el beneficio de la terapia inmunosupresora con esteroides e inmunoglobulina como inductora de remisión en esta entidad.Objetivos: ilustrar la complejidad en la presentación y la historia natural de la enfermedad muscular inflamatoria, mostrando el beneficio de la terapia inmunosupresora con esteroides e inmunoglobulina como inductora de remisión en esta entidad...

Dolor abdominal agudo Un enfoque clínico de la vasculitis lúpica abdominal / Acute abdominal pain A clinical approach of abdominal lupic vasculitis

La vasculitis abdominal por lupus es rara y generalmente se acompaña de manifestaciones de actividad lúpica en otros órganos. El compromiso gastrointestinal en lupus puede presentarse con peritonitis lupica, pancreatitis no necrotizante, vasculitis o abdomen quirúrgico. Se describe una mujer joven con dolor abdominal quirúrgico como manifestación inicial de lupus...

Síndrome antifosfolípido secundario a lupus eritematoso sistémico en un hombre / Antiphospholipid syndrome secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus in a man

Paciente de sexo masculino de 23 años con síntomas de una semana de evolución de cambios en el comportamiento, y seis meses de pérdida de peso, eritema malar y palpebral, úlceras orales, se le detecta anticuerpos antinucleares (ANAS) positivos, planteándose como diagnóstico, lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES). El paciente permanece controlado durante tres años; al cabo de los cuales aparecen lesiones cutáneas ulceradas y necróticas en el tronco, acompañado de anticuerpos antifosfolípidos positivos, hallazgos que nos permiten diagnosticar síndrome antifosfolípido (SAF) secundario a LES. Se considera el caso interesante por su escasa ocurrencia en el sexo masculino y por su severidad probablemente relacionada con la asociación LES y SAF

Hemorragia alveolar difusa / Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage

Se presentan dos casos de pacientes que desarrollaron síndrome de hemorragia alveolar debido a procesos autoinmunes diferentes. Evolucionan hacia la mejoría luego del tratamiento instaurado

Synthesis and spectroscopic characterisation of new ESIPT fluorescent protein probes.

Three new benzazole isothiocyanate fluorescent dyes, 2-(4'-isothiocyanate-2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole, 2-(4'-isothiocyanate-2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole and 2-(4'-isothiocyanate-2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzimidazole were synthesised, purified until optical purity grade and characterised by spectroscopic techniques. UV/VIS and steady-state fluorescence were also applied to characterise the photophysical behaviour of the dyes. These dyes exhibit an intense fluorescence emission with a large Stokes shift, inherent to the class of benzazoles which relax by the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) mechanism. The dyes were studied for labeling bovine serum albumin (BSA), resulting conjugates BSA-dye with a remarkable photostability under UV/VIS radiation in relation to classical protein labels. The resulting conjugates presented fluorescence in the blue-green region. Direct fluorescence detection of protein-labeled with those dyes after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicates their potential use as fluorescent probes for proteins.

Recomendaciones del Comité de Expertos de la Asociación Colombiana de Reumatología para el empleo de terapia biológica en las espondiloartropatías / Recommendations of the expert committee of the rheumatology Colombian association for the use of biologic therapy in the spondyloarthropathies

Las espondiloartropatías son un grupo de enfermedades que comparten ciertas características clínicas, radiológicas y de laboratorio. Estudios recientes resaltan la importancia de estas que pueden como grupo llegar a tener una prevalencia mayor que patologías frecuentes como la artritis reumatoide, con implicaciones de los aspectos sociales, laborales y fármacoeconómicos. El manejo tradicional de estas patologías no presentó avances significativos hasta hace cinco años cuando con la aparición de los inhibidores del factor de necrosis tumoral (TNF), la llamada terapia biológica se cambió las perspectivas del tratamiento de este grupo de enfermedades convirtiéndose en el día de hoy en una gran herramienta terapéutica. La Asociación Colombiana de Reumatología teniendo en cuenta el conocimiento de este gran avance y el alto impacto de éste en la parte de costos ha desarrollado unas recomendaciones para la utilización de la terapia biológica en las espondiloartropatías mediante la modalidad de consenso con la participación de especialistas expertos en esta área de la reumatología